Background information—Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security: Study on gun violence (December 16, 2021)
SECU Committee overview
Committee Members: At a glance
| Name | Political affiliation | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | |||
| Jim Carr | Liberal | Winnipeg South Centre, Manitoba | not appicable |
| Vice-Chairs | |||
| Raquel Dancho | Conservative | Kildonan—St. Paul, Manitoba | Shadow Minister for Public Safety |
| Kristina Michaud | Bloc Québécois | Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, Quebec | Critic for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Climate Change, Youth |
| Members | |||
| Paul Chiang | Liberal | Markham—Unionville, Ontario | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion (Diversity and Inclusion) |
| Pam Damoff | Liberal | Oakville North—Burlington, Ontario | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety |
| Dane Lloyd | Conservative | Sturgeon River—Parkland, Alberta | Shadow Minister for Emergency Preparedness |
| Alistair MacGregor | New Democrat | Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, British Columbia | Critic for Public Safety, Agriculture and Food; Deputy Critic for Justice |
| Ron McKinnon | Liberal | Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, British Columbia | not appicable |
| Taleeb Noormohamed | Liberal | Vancouver Granville, British Columbia | not appicable |
| Doug Shipley | Conservative | Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, Ontario | not appicable |
| Tako Van Popta | Conservative | Langley—Aldergrove, British Columbia | not appicable |
| Sameer Zuberi | Liberal | Pierrefonds—Dollard, Quebec | not appicable |
About the Committee
SECU was created on , at the start of the 39th Parliament. The Committee is responsible for one of the largest departmental portfolios, including close to 140 statutes administered by the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and its agencies, including the CBSA.
Committee Mandate
SECU reviews the legislation, policies, programs and expenditure plans of government departments and agencies responsible for public safety and national security, policing and law enforcement, corrections and conditional release of federal offenders, emergency management, crime prevention and the protection of Canada's borders.
The Standing Orders of the House of Commons provide that the committee may review and report on:
- Legislation proposed by the government or Members of Parliament
- Immediate, medium- and long-term expenditure plans, and the effectiveness of their implementation by the department
- An analysis of the relative success of the relevant department, as measured by the results obtained as compared with its stated objectives
- Other matters relating to the mandate, management, organization, or operation of the department in question, as the Committee deems fit
The committee examines the policies, programs and statutes relating to the following departments and agencies:
- Public Safety Canada (PS)
- Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
- Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)
- Correctional Service Canada (CSC)
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
- Parole Board of Canada (PBC)
- Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (CRCC)
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police External Review Committee (ERC)
- Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI)
CBSA-related Committee activity
The CBSA appeared at SECU 5 times over the course of the 43rd Parliament ( to ):
- 3 appearances occurred as a result of SECU's consideration of the Public Safety Portfolio's estimates (, , and )
- 1 appearance on the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness' 2019 Mandate Letter ()
- 1 appearance on the Security of COVID-19 Designated Quarantine Facilities ()
Current study (Gun control, illegal arms trafficking and the increase in gun crimes committed by members of street gangs)
On , the House of Commons unanimously adopted the following Bloc Québécois motion:
That, given the increase in gun violence and the numerous deadly shootings in the streets of Montreal and the metropolitan area in recent weeks, and notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practice of the House:
- the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security be instructed to undertake as a priority a study on gun control, illegal arms trafficking and the increase in gun crimes committed by members of street gangs
- the members to serve on the committee be appointed by the whip of each recognized party depositing with the Clerk of the House a list of his or her party's members before the adjournment of the House
- the Clerk of the House shall convene a meeting of the committee on a priority basis no later than Wednesday,
- the Minister of Public Safety, as well as representatives of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, appear before the committee as witnesses for a period of three hours each as the committee sees fit
Other anticipated business
Establishing a list of future committee business
Committee Members
The Honourable Jim Carr (Chair)
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Winnipeg South Centre, Manitoba
Profession/Occupation: MPP, businessman
Political experience:
- First elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 and 2021
- Former Minister of:
- Natural Resources ( to )
- International Trade Diversification ( to )
- Special Representative for the Prairies ( to )
Raquel Dancho (First Vice-Chair)
Political affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada
Constituency: Kildonan—St. Paul, Manitoba
Shadow Minister for Public Safety (since )
Profession/Occupation: Political staffer, Politician
Political experience:
- First elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2021
- Former Shadow Minister for:
- Diversity, Inclusion and Youth ( to )
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship ( to )
- Future Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion ( to )
Kristina Michaud (Second Vice-Chair)
Political affiliation: Bloc Québécois
Constituency: Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, Quebec
Critic for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Climate Change, Youth (since 2019)
- Profession/Occupation: Political staffer
- Riding includes Port of Matane (marine, commercial)
Political experience:
- First elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2021
- Long-time member ( to present) and Vice Chair of SECU ( to present)
Paul Chiang
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Markham—Unionville, Ontario
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion (Diversity and Inclusion) (since )
Profession/Occupation: Retired police officer (GTA)
Political experience: First elected in 2021
Pam Damoff
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Oakville North—Burlington, Ontario
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety (since )
Profession/Occupation: Investment banker, consultant
Political experience:
- First elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 and 2021
- Former Parliamentary Secretary to the:
- Minister of Health ( to )
- Minister of Indigenous Services ( to )
- Long-time Member of SECU ( to present)
Dane Lloyd
Political affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada
Constituency: Sturgeon River—Parkland, Alberta
Shadow Minister for Emergency Preparedness (since )
- Profession/Occupation: Politician
- Riding includes Villeneuve Airport (airport of entry)
"service suspended until further notice"
Political experience:
- First elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2019 and 2021
- Former Shadow Minister for:
- Digital Government ( to )
- Rural Economic Development ( to )
Alistair MacGregor
Political affiliation: New Democratic Party of Canada
Constituency: Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, British Columbia
Critic for Public Safety (since ), Agriculture and Food (since 2018); Deputy Critic for Justice (since 2017)
- Profession/Occupation: Political staffer
- Riding is on Canada-U.S. marine border
- Riding includes Duncan Airport (airport of entry) "service suspended until further notice" and several marine, commercial points of service
Political experience:
- First elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 and 2021
- Former critic for:
- Seniors ( to )
- Heritage (Deputy) ( to )
Ron McKinnon
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Profession/Occupation: Computer Systems Analyst
Political experience:
- First elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 and 2021
- Former Chair of the Standing Committee on Heath ( to )
Taleeb Noormohamed
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Vancouver Granville, British Columbia
Profession/Occupation: Former public servant with PS and PCO, member of the Board of directors for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), technology executive
Political experience: Defeated in 2011 and 2019, first elected in 2021
Doug Shipley
Political affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada
Constituency: Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, Ontario
Profession/Occupation: Politician, Small business owner
Political experience:
- First elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2021
- Former Member of SECU ( to )
Potential key interests: Barrie opioid crisis
Tako Van Popta
Political affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada
Constituency: Langley—Aldergrove, Alberta
- Profession/Occupation: Lawyer
- Riding includes one of the four British Columbia Lower Mainland ports of entry
Political experience:
- First elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2021
- Long-time Member of SECU ( to present)
Sameer Zuberi
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Pierrefonds—Dollard, Quebec
Profession/Occupation: Canadian Forces reservist, student and human rights activist
Political experience: First elected in 2019 and re-elected 2021
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